Anything But Perfect
by Babe-ette
Summary: Hermione Granger was perfect right? Perfect friends, perfect grades, perfect family, perfect life. Wrong! How very wrong you are. Her life was far from perfect.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:**

_Hermione Granger was perfect right? Perfect friends, perfect grades, perfect family, perfect life. Wrong! How very wrong you are. Her life was far from perfect. Of course how were you supposed to know that because at school Hermione was a bookworm, a know-it-all but outside in the Muggle world? Mia a bookworm? Yeah right! Mia was a party animal!_

Two more days! Only two more days would Hermione be stuck in this fiery pit her father called a home. Then she would be free to Hogwarts, the only place she now considered a home, or at least the only place that deserved to be called a home in her opinion. As Hermione sat there thinking this she heard him get up. He was moving about his room in the usual way, making a lot of noise. All of a sudden she heard a loud cry over the noise in the next room over. She jumped up and ran to the crib in the corner of her room, but Hermione wasn't quick enough. Her stepfather had heard Nicole and was now furious.

As soon as Hermione had picked Nicole up and started soothing her in a gentle whisper, Scott, her stepfather, slammed her door open and in a fit of rage and started screaming, " Get that freakin brat to shut the heck up!"

As soon as he had said that Hermione screamed, "Get out!"

"And you wench! You are a total screw-up! You ruin everything! If you had never been born you mother would still be here and she would be living a happy life! YOU drove her to her death! Her drover her to suicide! You and You alone killed her!" he screamed at her with malice dripping from every word.

"Out!" Hermione said in a deadly whisper her eyes narrowed into slits.

After her stepfather had left her room Hermione went back to comforting the now wailing child in her arms. Hermione stood with her cradled in her arms and rocked her back and froth all the while sing softy to her one of her favorite muggle lullabies,

"Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top  
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock  
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall  
And down will come baby, cradle and all"

This lullaby never really made sense to her why you were talking bout the cradle falling and the baby falling down and everything but it really didn't matter it had a nice tune and was all in all a nice little song.

Hermione carefully stood up, holding Nicole in her arms and walked over to her window to see Scott getting into his black BMW and driving away to go to work. Scott was a car salesman and owned is own dealership. He worked long hours and didn't get off work till late in the evening then once he got off at work he went to the bar near home and drank away her memory a little at a time (A.N. He never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind till the night). Every night he would go to the bar and then come home so drunk he could hardly walk. As soon as he would walk in he would wake Hermione up and beat her within inches of her life then she'd pass out with only one thought on her mind that he would stay away from Nicole

Each morning when Hermione woke up she would go check on Nicole and then go put healing ointment on her back. Each morning she would breath a sigh of relief seeing that Nicole was left untouched. Yet this morning was different The house was eerily silent and she had and awful feeling in the pit of her stomach.

As soon as she got up she ran to Nicole's crib to see her covered in blood and barely breathing. As soon as she saw her hot tears ran down her face. Hermione quickly set to work clearing away as much of the blood as she could so that Nicole would have a clearer breathing passage. Then she levitated her onto a flat surface so as not do disturb her so much that she could cause any more damage. Then she levitated all of her things into her trunk and ran outside to flag down the Knight bus.

Soon it was there and Hermione told then to get to St. Mungo's in the next few minutes or Nicole would die. They were there in a matter of minutes due to the acceleration of that bus and Hermione was into the hospital w/ her things and Nicole almost as soon as the bus had stopped. She ran to the receptionist's desk the second she entered the hospital. She quickly told the receptionist her name and Nicole's and the shortened version of what had happened to Nicole.

The receptionist quickly ushered her into and empty room. Soon there was a Medi-Witch with her and Nicole. She told the Medi-Witch the whole story and the she told Hermione that Nicole had a few fractured bones, but that they were mendable and Nicole would have to stay there over night. Hermione consented and was feeling considerable lighter now that she knew that Nicole was ok. If Nicole hadn't been ok she didn't know what she would have done, but it wouldn't have landed her much short of Azkaban to say the least.

Hermione was usher out of the hospital and into London by the Medi-Witch, telling her to get a room at the Leaky Cauldron and come back the next morning to pick up her daughter. So Hermione went and took her time getting her things to her room at the Leaky Cauldron and then deciding to go take a look around Muggle London while she had the time to do a little last minute school shopping. That was when it hit her she was going to have to take Nicole with her or risk the life of her daughter and there was no way that Hermione was going to put Nicole life in danger ever again after what had happened with her step father.

Hermione decided that because of recent events that she would need a darker less naive wardrobe to fit her less innocent new self. So when she hit the streets of Muggle London it wasn't to window shop it was to buy a new wardrobe ad to change her appearance to fit her new personality. All through this summer Hermione had had her best friend watch Nicole when neither her now Josh could (A.N. Josh is Nicole's father, Hermione's second boyfriend.). Jess had watched Nicole while Hermione worked her butt off trying to save up money for school stuff and to support herself and Nicole after she finished her last year of schooling at Hogwarts. Mrs. Nicole Granger-Mouch, Hermione's mother had left her what was left of her father's money from when he had died when Hermione was only 9.

So when Hermione walked into the salon that day she decided that this was her chance to be herself and to look like her personality. So Hermione got her hair dyed black and had blue streaks placed in it. She went and got clothes mainly consisting of black and blue (the color of bruises) and a few other colors. She bought many pairs of combat books and a few pairs of vans, converses, and a couple pairs of black high-heeled boots. When she had done all that she got herself more makeup and in the end ended up spending a little more than $400.

She then went to the Leaky Cauldron, set all of her new things neatly into her trunk and went to check up on Nicole. After checking that Nicole was ok Hermione went back to her room and looked through her purchases and thought of only two more things she really needed. She quickly left to go out and get them. Once she was finished Hermione had gotten her nose, cartilage, ears (double), and her naval pierced. She had also gotten a tattoo that was a heart with Nicole written on it on her upper thigh and a tattoo of a heart with a dagger through it on her lower back.

After putting her thing into her trunk and slamming it shut, Hermione realized she was exhausted so she tiredly crawled into bed and as soon as her head hit the pillow she was asleep.

As soon as Hermione woke up she took a quick shower and threw on a blue tube top and a black mini-skirt and her new black combat boots. Then she went to pick up Nicole so they could leave for Hogwarts Express. Once she got to the hospital she went to the receptionist's desk and asked about Nicole Sager (A.N. Josh's last name!). The kind lady took her back to Nicole's room and she and Nicole left after she checked Nicole out.

As soon as they left they went apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and Hermione shrunk her things and put them into her pocket. She then threw on a large cloak and she and Nicole walked to Platform 9 3/4

Once they had navigated the train station and put Hermione's stuff on the Express Hermione went straight to the Head's Compartment glad she wouldn't have to talk to Harry, Ron, and Ginny. Hermione wasn't up to explaining why she hadn't answered any of their letters. She wasn't ready to tell them that she had been too busy taking care of her daughter to write them back. As she walked there she was praying that this year's Head Boy wasn't going to be Ron or Harry, she would even take Malfoy over either of them. Hermione loved Harry and Ron like they were her brothers but they didn't know about Nicole and she wasn't ready to disappoint them with the news that she had a daughter they didn't know about. **(A. N. but in the wizarding world they have concealment charms and when teens get pregnant they don't get that big.)** Malfoy at least, even with all of the name calling wouldn't worry about her or care enough about her to be disappointed about the fact that she had a daughter at the age of 15. At worst he'd treat her like dirt but by now she was used to that from her stepfather and from him  
calling her a Mudblood all the time. As long as Nicole was with her Hermione was just fine.

When she reached the compartment she climbed in and unshrank Nicole's baby rocker and she sat it on the seat. She then sat Nicole down and lay down to get some rest. Around an hour later she awoke to quiet whimpering. When she looked up, she saw that Nicole wasn't in her rocker and started to freak out. The she heard rumbling laughter coming from the seat across from her and looked up to see Nicole in the arms of Draco Malfoy.

"Malfoy give her back! Now Give Nicole back!" said Hermione voice filled with malice.

Malfoy just tsked at her and said, "Explain why she's here and maybe I will."

"Do I really need to explain how babies are made to you? I'd think that the 'Slytherin Price' would know that kind of thing," said Hermione with a smirk.

"You know what I meant!" Said Malfoy with a glare and a sneer at her.

"Why do you care? At the moment you're holding someone partially muggle," said Hermione with a smirk.

"Part muggle? How is she only part muggle when you are a mudblood? Did your mother cheat on your father? Of curse she didn't you are after all the one with the perfect family!" sneered Malfoy a look of discst written clearly on his face.

"Malfoy she's a half blood with mudblood decendants. Why would you want to dirty your pureblood skin because you were holding my daughter? Anyway since when do you care?" Hermione sneered a look of pain written all over her face."

"You're daughter?" Malfoy asked incredulously, "How the heck do you have a daugh--" He was cut off by the compartment door sliding open. Both Hermione and Malfoy turned quickly towards the door. It was Harry and Ron, and with just one look, hermione could tell she had some major explaining to do. With one look Hermione realized she had some major explaining to do.

* * *

OMG The new Harry Potter Book was awsome! I loved it but it was soooooooo sad! I cried! I can't believe he's dead i mean come on! But i guess that's why i read Fanfiction because if i dont like what's going to happen then I just switch stories. So I have a new beta she's one of my friends and she rocks! Ok well review for me giving an opinion on what u think of this story. Tell me if u love it, hate it? Just tell me what you think! You guys rule! 

Luv,

Slytherin in Mind


	2. Chapter 2

"Hi Harry, Hi Ron. How were your summers?" asked Hermione nervously at the confused looks on both Ron and Harry's faces.

"Hermione where have you been? We've been looking all over for you! Wait! Did Malfoy just say that's your daughter?" asked Ron.

"My summer wasn't so good. But I won't get into that right now. And yes he did," said Hermione with a heavy sigh, not yet ready to tell them but then, she couldn't really keep it from them now could she? "Fine. What ever Granger, I was just leaving," said Malfoy quickly. "Hermione what happened? Since when do you have a daughter? Were you raped or were you willing? Of course you weren't willing! Bloody hell, Hermione why didn't you tell us?"Harry asked in a rush.  
"Ok, I'll answer your questions one at a time. Well, first you know how my mom died two years ago? Well when I told you she died I was telling the truth but what I didn't tell you was that she commited suicide. She slit her wrists. So I was left what she got when my biological father died. Remember when I went home last Christmas Break? Well I went home and my step-father started telling me things like that it was my fault my mom had killed herself, that she was only unhappy because I had done something wrong, then he would tell me that I should have been the one that was dead, not my mother and that I deserved it but she didn't. After a while I started to believe him, but then I realized that it wasn't my fault that there was no way that it was my fault. So I decided that in an act of desperation to get back at him for what he'd done to me, for what he'd said, I would start partying 'till the crack of dawn and then I'd bring my new boyfriend back to his house. This made him angry but not nearly angry enough for what he had almost caused me to do –commit suicide the same as she did. So I decided to dress like a party girl and a total sleaze. So I went out and bought brand new clothes. "The weekend after I changed my wardrobe I was at a party and drank way too much Vodka and went all the way with my gorgeous, quarterback, boyfriend. The next morning I woke up, cleared away my hangover and realized what had happened. And as you both know I am completely against mistreating living things so I couldn't abort it. So I had Nicole Katelyn Sager on July 8 2005. Also this summer, after I had Nicole, Scott started to beat me. He got Nicole the night before last and she almost died so I left and haven't been back. As you have now heard, no I was not raped. I'm not gonna tell you Nicole's father's name because I would fear for his life and even though we aren't going out anymore he still helps me out with Nicole when I need it and he helps pay to support her," said Hermione looking exhausted. The whole time she hadn't looked up to meet their eyes, she had been watching Nicole instead, but now she looked up. "Hermione it's ok what happened. I really don't approve of it, but I want you to know that if you ever need anything then you can come to us. Us meaning Ron and I," said Harry coming over to give Hermione a hug. "I love you guys so much thank you for supporting me!" said Hermione tears in her eyes. "Mione, I have a few questions for you." "Ask away Ron."

"Well, how did we not notice that you were pregnant? That seems like the kind of thing that we should have noticed. Do you plan on keeping her and raising her on you own? If so know that you aren't alone Harry and I are here if you need our help. Does Ginny know? And finally can I hold her?" asked Ron..

"Ok here are your answers. I used a concealment charm on my stomach and when teenager are pregnant their stomachs don't get quite as big. Don't worry it's not like I really looked pregnant. Yes Ron I do plan on raising Nicole. It's nice to know I have help if I need it. Yes Ginny does know, she has even seen Nicole once before. She's Nicole's Godmother and Josh is somehow capable of being her Godfather. And yes Ron you may hold her, but while you hold her let me get changed and then you guys need to go because I need to talk to Malfoy," said Hermione with a genuine smile on her face for the first time in quite a while.

"Ok, Mione just change and then we'll leave. Why do you need to talk to Malfoy anyways?" asked Ron. As soon as Hermione was done getting changed she took Nicole and said that she'd go get Malfoy even though she was carrying Nicole.

So Hermione walked with Ron and Harry back to their compartment and dropped Nicole off with Ginny and went to find Malfoy. Of course he wasn't that hard to find he was sitting in a compartment with Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe, and Goyle. When Hermione got there she asked to speak to Malfoy and Pansy screeched at Drakie-poo that there was a mudblood in their compartment and that he should get her to go away. Malfoy slowly stood up and walked out with her. She told him she'd meet him back in the compartment unless he wanted to come get Nicole with her from Ginny. He decided to come along. They walked to the last compartment and found Ginny, Luna, Neville, Harry, Ron, and Nicole sitting there. Nicole was on Ginny's lap. They were in heated debate about who was going to win the World Cup this year. Hermione just walked over to Ginny and picked up Nicole , said good bye to everyone in the compartment and walked back to the Head's Compartment.

Once we got back Nicole started crying and Hermione grabbed a bottle and started to feed her. As soon as she did, she started to feel really tired. Even though she had slept decently well last night and had slept an hour on the train, parenting takes a lot out of you and so does stress. Hermione was stressed because what if Dumbledoor said she couldn't keep Nicole here with her? What would happen to her then? Hermione couldn't send Nicole back to live with Scott and Josh had school to go to so he wouldn't be able to watch her. She wouldn't let him send her back to the Muggle world she was a half-blood and there was no way she was going "home." While she was feeding Nicole, Malfoy was just sitting there watching her.

Once Nicole was done Hermione put her bottle away and started burping her. Then she started crying and Hermione knew that she was incredibly tired. So she started rocking her and she still wouldn't calm down though. So she softly started to sing to her as Hermione sang Malfoy just looked on. She was singing one of her favorite Muggle songs, Let Me Go by 3 Doors Down.

"One more kiss could be the best thing, One more lie could be the worst, And all these thoughts are never resting, And you're not something I deserve, In my head there's only you now, This world falls on me, In this world, there's real and make-believe, This seems real to me, You love me but you don't know who I am, I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand, You love me but you don't know who I am, So let me go, Let me go," She sang softly to her daughter. Then she gently lay Nicole in her baby rocker and turned to Malfoy.  
"Ok will you stop staring at me? Please! It's really starting to weird me out!" said Hermione annoyance clearly written in her voice.

"What song were you singing? Why haven't I ever heard it before?" asked Draco trying to avoid her question.

"I was singing Let Me Go by 3 Doors Down. It's a Muggle song so I wouldn't think you'd have heard it because you are against anything Muggle," said Hermione as if that were the most obvious thing ever.

"Mal-er-Draco, we're going to have to work together and share a room all year so we should at least try to get along," said Hermione pleadingly. **(A.N. Sorry if I forgot to put this earlier but as Heads they are to share a common room and a bathroom!)**

"Like a truce?"

"Yeah… like a truce!"

"What's going to be involved in this truce?"

"Well like first name basis, being civil to one another, staying out of one another's buisiness, and please be nice to Nicole."

"I'll try and you must put a silencing charm on where ever Nicole is staying, avoid the whole ferret thing, and no Potty and Weasel in our rooms."

"Fine but if there's no Harry and Ron then you may not have any of your groupies (A.N. I love that word! GROUPIES! He he) in our rooms either."

"Done?"

"Done"

"Cool"

With that Hermione cracked a smile knowing this would be crazier just because of their truce.

"So Draco how was your summer?"

"It was nice not having Lucius in the house," said Draco. Lucius had gotten 'The Kiss' during Draco's 6th year for being a Death Eater and for other accounts that had not been released to the public.

"How was your?" asked Draco while looking over at Nicole.  
"It wasn't the best but I lived and Nicole is going to be ok."

Once Hermione had said this she heard the train slow to a stop. As she quickly grabbed Nicole, Hermione and Draco slipped out of the compartment. They climbed into a carriage and were at school in a matter of about 10 minutes.

As Hermione saw Professor McGonagall she waved toward her Head of House. As she started to explain why Nicole was at school Professor McGongall shushed her by was of telling her that she already knew.

She then told Hermione to tell Draco that they must go to Professor Dumbledore's office directly after the feast to discus a few things. Hermione waved good-bye to her Head of House and walked off to find Draco.

She soon found him amongst his Slytherin friends. As she walked up Pansy glared at her and asked, "What do you want Mudblood?"

"I need to speak to Draco," she said innocently.

"I'll see you guys at the feast. Kay," Draco said and without waiting for an answer walked away.

"Ummm… Draco."

"Spit it out! Hermione."

"Okay, well we have to see Dumbledore after the feast. It has some thing to do with Nicole," said Hermione a look of worry etched on her facial features.

**Sorry that it took me a couple of days to update but I sent half of my chapter to my beta and she had to go to her uncle's wedding so she didn't get to it as soon as she normally would have and then I decided that I couldn't post a chapter as short as it was so I had to got through and make it atleast a little bit longer! So basically the story was back and forth and as much as we both love Fanfiction we have lives too. But my school's festival is this weekend and so I won't be able to write at all this weekend! **

Please Review! ;)

SlytherininMind


	3. Chapter 3

"Ok, Hermione, calm down. She's going to be ok. Dumbledore won't send her away," Draco said as he walked away toward the hall.

Hermione following his example went into the Great Hall and sat down next to Ginny and across from Ron and Harry. She sat through the entire feast listening to people wispering about her and wondering about Nicole. She heard many things:

"Who's the father…"

"Is that her daughter…"

"What's she doing here…"

"Stupid…"

"Thought she was one of those abstinance nuts…"

"Wonder if she is taken…"

"Thought she was smart…"

"Stupid Mudblood…:

The last of these statements being made by the Slytherins. Each of these comments cut deeper than the last.

She hates the idea of cutting and the very action (she'd tried it once after her mother's death) but you have no idea how appealing the idea had become as of late. What with all that has happened… Nicole has been doing great but she still couldn't believe he had done that to her and remembered that night and the morning after like it was yesterday. Why would that cause her to contemplate attempting suicide? She's not quite sure but it had happened more times than you can imagine.

Hermione guessed it had something to do with Nicole being beaten and how she felt like she was unfit to be a mother, but how much more fit could she be, she was only 17! Yet still, what kind of mother lets her daughter get beaten while she is in the same room? She felt completely awful. But she guessesd it wasn't really her fault. It wasn't like she could have done anything about it. She was passed out on the floor and not from alcohol, so she hadn't brought it upon herself. She was passed out from pain. But she was still there! And can't help but feel guilty because of it.

As dinner finished Hermione carried Nicole to Dumbledore's office and waited for Draco and Dumbledore. As soon as they arrived they went up to his office and sat down.

"Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy. As you both know you will be sharing a common room and a bathroom this year as heads. There isn't really much to say about that except that you are expected to set an example for the rest of the school and are to get along. You two will assist in planning all of the dances and will be sharing the opening dance at each ball.

"Now Ms. Granger, I see that you have brought Nicole with you to school this year. Would you care to explain why?" asked Dumbledore

"She isn't safe at home anymore," she stated simply.

"Alright it is fine with me that she stays here with you, but Mr. Malfoy must also agree for he will be sharing rooms with you."

"It's fine," was Draco's short reply.

"Alright then, Nicole may stay! I will send a House Elf up to watch her while you are in classes, but you must watch her at all other times. Is that understood?"

"Yes and Thank You Proffessor!" answered Hermione, relieved.

**Sorry that this chapter is so short but I felt like I should update and I'm still working on what is going to happen next. So enjoy this chapter and please review I would like to know what you think of my story!**

**And Today is one of my closest friend's birthdays to Happy Birthday Becky!**

**Luv,**

**Slytherin in Mind**


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning Hermione woke up to the screaming and crying of Nicole over the baby monitor. She lethargically got out of her plush red and gold bed and went to go get Nicole. When she got to her room she fed her and burped her. Then she carried her downstairs to her and Draco's common room to await the house elf that was susposed to be coming to watch Nicole.

A few minutes after she arrived in the common room Dobby appeared. The first thing he said was, "I'm glad to be able to help a friend of Mr. Harry Potter!"

"Thank you so much Dobby if there is anything I can do or make for you just ask and I'll try my hardest," stated Hermione with earnest.

With a smile she handed Nicole over to Dobby giving her a kiss she left with her school things for breakfast. Once she reached the great hall she went to sit with Ginny, Harry, Ron, Pavarti, and Luna (Ron is with Luna and Harry and Pavarti are dating!).

"So 'Mione how was you first night with Malfoy? Anything gossip worthy happen last night? But then again knowing you probably not but then again you do have a daughter so you had to do something to get that daughter!" said Ginny raising her eyes suggestively.

"Oh My God! Ginny who do you think I am! This is Draco Malfoy we're talking about not some Gryffindor! I'm not a total slut! So what I have a daughter! Meaning I've had sex! Big Deal! Plenty of people have had sex!" said Hermione extremely flustered!

"Lusting over me Hermione? You're hiding you feelings for me. I can't believe Hermione "Bookworm" Granger has feeling for me, Draco Malfoy. Oh, and thanks for last night it was fun!" said Draco in a joking manner from behind Hemione making her jump.

"It's hard to hide feelings that aren't there Draco. And me like the Slytherin Prince. Likely, Not!" said Hermione.just barley holding back laughter.

With that she waved good-bye to her friends and rushed off to Arithmancy. The boys and Pavarti had Divination and Ginny had Potions.

As she walked she heard someone rushing to catch up with her. So she hurried up but so did their footsteps. As she ran she felt this strange feeling of contentment and trust and then she realized she was running. Why did she need to run, so what if she was being followed? She was in Hogwarts! She wasn't gonna be hurt. She had Dumbledore, and because he knew of everything that was going on in his school, she wouldn't by any chance be attacked. Well, at least that was what she told herself as she heard the footsteps coming closer to her

As she was about to round a corner to the next corridor a hand grabbed her shoulder and she jumped not realizing they were that close. As she whipped around she realized it was just Draco.

"I can't believe you said that! Do you have any idea what people are gonna think we're doing not to mention how many times people are are gonna think we're doing it up in our shared rooms. People might even make up stories about me being pregnant with your child now or many other things! Ginny is a gossip queen as are Lavender and Pavarti! I don't want that to happen things are already gonna be hard enough with Nicole here!" said Hermione with frustration written in every line in her extremely stressed out face.  
As the day went by things got less and less frustrating for Hermione. She even went from the not so great mood she'd been in right before Arithmancy to a good mood by the end of classes.

**I have been wondering if anyone is actually reading this. If you are could you give me either critcism or praise? I wanna know how I'm doing! So... yeah. And sorry if it takes me a while to update but I've been having trouble with school and things are finally about to get better!**

**Luv,**

**Slytherin In Mind**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Ron and Hermione would never ever have liked each other... at all.

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When she got back to her rooms she went upstairs to get Nicole. When she got to the door to Nicole's room she heard giggling. So she figured it was dobby playing with her. So when she opened the door to see Nicole in Draco's arms she was to say the least very surprised. She ran over to Nicole and took her from Draco's arms and looked at her to make sure she was ok.

"DRACO WHATEVER-YOU-MIDDLE-NAME-IS MALFOY! KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY DAUGHTER!" Hermione all but screamed at him.

"Granger! Calm down. Did I hurt her? No. Exactly I won't hurt a defenseless girl! I'm not that cruel!" Draco said before storming off.

Hermione looked over her daughter for a single bruise or mark to yell at Draco for and thought about what he had said. Why would he hurt Nicole? What kind of man did she think he was? He wasn't evil! He wasn't like that there was no way he would ever do anything like that. He might have been mean to her in the past years but Hermione had never been defenseless. She had always had a form of protection. He had never touched her in any way.

He was even being civil to her this year. She should apologize for being mean to him.

"Draco, I'm sorry for yelling at you. You would never do anything to Nicole. You're not that kind of man," Hermione gasped as she ran to catch up with him.

"You better believe I'm not! I would never do that. Especially to Nicole, she's too cute," Draco said angrily.

"I know I over reacted! I was worried about her! What did you expect? She's the only thing in the world that means anything to me. I love her more than my own life!" Hermione explained as Draco walked away.

"Oh, and by the way… my middle name is Xavier," called Draco over his shoulder. "You coming?" asked Draco as he kept walking.

"No, I have to go watch Nicole," said Hermione turning around.

"Hermione!" yelled Draco, "the common room is this way!"

"I knew that!" yelled Hermione turning around and running to catch up with Draco. When she reached him he was laughing, but still waiting for her.

"Let's go get Nicole and take a walk around Hogwarts. Come on. She's waiting. Did you leave her in the common room alone?" Draco asked as they walked towards the common room.

"Ok, that sounds fun. No, Ginny came by after you left and stayed with her while I came after you," Hermione replied with a smile, thinking about how great of a friend Ginny was. She would always be there for Hermione no matter what she did.

"Ok, just worried you'd left adorable little Nicole all alone," Draco said with a genuine smile.

"Here we are!" smiled Hermione as they arrived at their common room. As she burst in she saw Ginny and Nicole asleep on the couch. Ginny holding Nicole in her arms with Hermione's head phones on her ears.

"Awwwwwwwww! They're so cute!" Hermione sighed to Draco as she laid a blanket over her best friend and her daughter.

"Let's just leave a note telling them where we've gone," whispered Draco.

"Ok," Hermione replied in a whisper so as not to wake them up

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That's it folks! Sorry it has taken me that long to update. I haven't had any confidence in my writing for a while so I haven't written anything until last week and that was for class. That made me realize how much I missed writing.

Thank you Hotkatt114 you have convinced me that writing is worth the time and that someone cares if I update. You have really made my day.

Slytherin in Mind


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything else other than the plot.**

Enjoy!

Chapter 6

"God! I haven't been out alone with a real guy since Josh and I broke up!" Hermione said with a smile as she walked along beside Draco.

"You and Josh broke up?" asked Draco with a confused look on his face.

"Yea, having a daughter is a lot of stress to put on a relationship in which there is no love. Let me tell you I didn't love him and he sure didn't love me," Hermione said with a remorseful smile.

"Yea, but if you could do it again would you have done anything differently?" asked Draco surprised she was telling him all of this.

"No, Nicole is too much a part of my life to ever imagine life without her. She's my world, I wouldn't survive without her," Hermione said with a smile.

"Yea, she is too much a part of this year. Even I couldn't imagine this year without her. It has only been a few days and I'm already too attached to her," Draco said looking at Hermione. "As is her mother. She means too much to me for me to let anything happen to her. I'm sorry if I over reacted earlier when you accused me of hurting her. It's just the idea of hurting a child makes me angry. My father used to abuse me as a child. My mother just stood there and didn't do anything. She didn't protect me. That's why I was so sad when I heard that you took Nicole away. My mother never loved me enough to do that for me," said Draco looking at his feet instead of at Hermione.

"I never knew, Draco. Or I-" Hermione stammered.

"No Hermione. I don't want you to feel sorry for me. I just want you to understand why I do things sometimes," Draco said still looking at the ground his vulnerability written all over his face.

"I won't ever pity you, Draco," Hermione said pulling his face up to her level. As she did so she pulled it closer to herself.

"Thank you," Draco whispered as e connected their lips. The kiss was short and sweet but it held all of Draco suppressed sadness and Hermione's care for him.

"Draco when ever you need me, I'll be there for you," Hermione said as she climbed the stairs to her room.

"I know. Thank you," Draco said kissing Hermione's hand and Nicole's head while he handed Nicole over, "Good night, both of you."

As Hermione lay awake she thought about that first kiss and how this would change things. Nicole would have a father figure. Draco would be there for Nicole until the end of the year, even if they broke up. He will be here because whether he cares about Hermione or not he cares about Nicole. He was such a great guy. Draco, and now he's going out with me… or is he? We didn't really discuss dating. We just… kissed? Does that mean we're going out? Or is he thinking of a friends with benefits kind of thing? What if he's thinking of something like that? I can't do that! Not with Nicole around! I have her to think about!

He cared about both of them and wouldn't let anything hurt them. He was a great guy. Such a major difference from the jerk he had been the year before. Hermione thought about what could have made him change. It sure was a great change.

**Sorry it took me so long to update. I had my play. It's over now. It's so sad. I'll miss it. Hope you like it. Read and Review.**


	7. Chapter 7

"WAAAAAAAAAAA!" Hermione heard bringing her back to consciousness. AS Nicole wailed, Hermione crawled out of bed and into Nicole's room. What she saw when she entered the room surprised her.

"Shhhhh… Some on Nikki calm down sweetheart," soothed a slightly rumpled Draco Malfoy. As he spoke softly to her she seemed to relax. Soon she was asleep again.

"Draco? Thank you. I truly appreciate you getting up to get Nikki," Hermione whispered so as not to wake Nicole up.

"Anything for you m'lady. Anything to make caring for Nicole easier on you," Draco said with a flourish taking Hermione's hand. He spun her out and back to him leaned her over and kissed her.

"And you kind sir, Draco. Anytime you want you feel free to help me, even if you're helping my lips," Hermione said with a wink.

"Gladly," Draco said as he leaned down and kissed her passionately on the lips. Then pushing her gently up against the wall he continued to snog her.

"Draco, we need to stop," Hermione whispered as she leaned back in for another round, "I have homework that I have to do before Nikki wakes up again."

"Fine, but you have to give a good bye kiss before you go," Draco answered with a smirk. As he pushed her back up against the wall and leant into her body to give her a final kiss before she left him to complete her homework.

As Hermione sat on her bed completing her homework she wondered about her and Draco's relationship. Did they have a relationship? Or was she just another girl he'd hook up with and then dump? What made her so special that he might actually stay with her? With thoughts like these Hermione couldn't concentrate so she decided to go question Draco on his expectations of them.

"Draco!" Hermione hollered as she ran down the steps. It was then that she heard the cries of Nikki. She must be hungry Hermione thought rushing up to her.

"Hey! You are going to leave the room so that I can feed Nikki," Hermione said with a smile.

"Can't I stay?" Draco asked with a wink.

"Sorry but no you can't," Hermione answered with a smile,"Oh! Draco! I want to talk to you when I finish with this."

"Ok, I'll just be in the common room," Draco answered, walking out of the room.

After feeding Nikki, Hermione walked down the steps to speak with Draco.

"Draco? What are we?" Hermione asked as she walked into the room.

"What do you mean?" Draco answered not looking up from his History of Magic essay.

"Draco! Please look at me when I'm talking to you. Yesterday you were spreading rumors about me, this morning we were snogging. Are we going out? Are we just friends? Are we friends with benefits? What are we? I need to know it's driving me crazy! I can't be friends with benefits! I have a daughter! I can't just do that. I have Nikki to think about. With me it's going to have to be all or nothing. If you're going to be with me you have to be a one woman man, with me it's all or nothing," Hermione ranted at Draco.

"Ok, Hermione. I'm not asking to be just friends with you. I wouldn't be able to do that. After everything that has happened today I don't think that's possible. I'm not asking for friends with benefits either. You have Nicole to look after and can't risk it. I totally understand. I think I can to the one woman man thing," Draco said after a minute of thinking about what to say.

"So are you asking me out?" asked a still unsure Hermione.

"Yea Hermione, I think, I am. Hermione What-Ever-Your-Middle-Name-Is Granger, will you go out with me?" Draco asked already knowing the answer.

"Yea! I will. But we have to move slowly. Just because I have Nicole doesn't mean I'm going to be willing to-"Hermione started before she was silenced by Draco's lips.

"Mione, I understand. I figured you would do that and it makes total sense."

"So, when do we go public with this?" Hermione wondered a loud.

"We shouldn't wait too long, but do we have to talk about it today?" Draco asked as he kissed her cheek. "Come on Mione! I want to take a break from all of the thinking," Draco whined.

"Ok," Hermione responded giving in to Draco's tempting offer of a little fun. So they spent the remainder of the day like that, in one another's arms and playing with Nicole.

**I hope you liked this chapter! I won't guarantee another one over Spring Break, but you might get one... if you're lucky. I had to retype almost all of this chapter because I was working on it during a tornado watch and the power got wiped out. I can't help when I get inspired! gives a small ashamed smile Oh, well! But any feedback is always welcome! **

**Babe-ette or Slytherin in Mind (what ever you want to call me)**


	8. Chapter 8

"Good morning Hermione. Good morning Nicole," Ginny said as Hermione tiredly sat down to breakfast at the table in the Great Hall.

"Morning Gin," Hermione responded stifling a yawn, "how was your night?"

"It was fine. Did you get any sleep Hermione?" asked Ginny looking worried.

"I got a little, but not much. Nicole kept me up half the night. She kept poor Draco awake too," Hermione told Ginny as she fed Nicole a bottle of milk. She silently gave Nicole a small smile knowing that her little girl had gotten a full night of sleep.

Nothing really happened the night before, but Hermione and Draco had stayed up pretty late talking about their relationship. They had decided that they would go public with their relationship shortly. They just had to wait until they believed that the public could take their news.

Enemies becoming friends was pretty big, especially at a place like Hogwarts. And they had to be prepared for the Hogwarts rumor mill. There would definitely be some interesting versions of the truth. Not that many people believed half what they heard, who am I kidding, of course they did! People are just gullible enough to believe unrealistic things like that.

But then again, Hermione and Draco becoming friends would seem pretty unrealistic too. They had after all hated one another since their first year. Them dating would be even less believeable. But the truth wasn't always what you expected. So Hogwarts would just have to deal with their Heads' relationship. And soon enough there would be speculation about who the father was. She did after all have hair that could belong to a few different boys in their seventh year. Nicole's hair was a beautiful sandy blonde color that shone in the sunlight. She had adorable, hazel eyes, the same, but with a watery look, as Hrmione's.

But it didn't matter what everyone said, because Hermione and everyone who mattered to her knew about her and Josh. While not many people knew about her home life, it didn't matter. They didn't need to know to understand what had happened with her and Josh. They understood, while ya Hermione might lead people to think that Nicole wasn't a mistake, she was. But Nicole was the greatest mistake she had ever made. While at times it was hard being a single mother, for her it was worth all of the pain and mockery in the world just to have her little girl.

Hermione would never regret having Nicole, and she would try her hardest to give her everything she ever wanted. And Draco Malfoy was determined to help.

Thanks for all of your reviews! This chapter is dedicated to Raining-spells and Hotkat144. You guys rock and really made may day wonderful! I hope to be getting another chapter up shortly but you all know what shortly means for me!And i'm gonna be out of town in a few weeks so it might be a month (which isn't that long... in comparison to the three it has taken me to get this one out!). I love you all! And will love u more if you review! So please R&R!


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